Wire stop 1.1 for multi-strand steel cable

ABSTRACT

A wire stop 1.1 for use with a multi-strand steel cable for securing trees and poles includes an outer body made of aluminum or another suitable soft metal with a tapered opening extending therethrough. The wire stop 1.1 also includes a tapered inner body made of stainless steel or other suitable hard metal with a central bore extending therethrough for receiving a single strand of the multi-strand steel cable therein and is sized and configured to be received in and cooperate with the tapered opening in outer body. With this construction, the multi-strand steel cable can be partially unwound and a single strand threaded through the central bore in the tapered inner body and the remaining strands can be threaded between the inner body and the outer body. The single middle strand is then bent over the tapered inner body to quickly and easily fix the wire stop on the multi-strand steel cable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to rigging and in particularrelates to a cable attachment for securing steel cable to trees, powerpoles, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the field of rigging, it is often necessary to secure one pole toanother or to secure one part of a tree to the remainder the tree or tosimply secure a tree against falling over. To provide this kind ofstructural support, it is known to attach one end of a cable to the treeor pole to be supported and the other end of the cable to anotherobject. However, the mechanics of attaching the cable to a tree or polecan present certain technical difficulties in the field.

In such an application, steel cables, such as multi-strand steel cables,typically have been used and are still used today to support trees,power poles and similar items. Such cables are typically attached to atree or utility pole by attaching a J-hook or lag bolt that is screwedinto the tree or pole. A thimble and a “preformed wrap” are attached tothe J-hook. Alternatively, the steel cable can be bent around the J-hookand the thimble then secured with “bulldog clips”. Alternatively, thesteel cable is attached using eyebolts installed through the tree orpole and secured in like manner.

The above described attachment techniques suffer from requiring multipleparts to secure the steel cable. Also, because of the multiple partsinvolved, the collection of the multiple parts is only as strong as theweakest of the parts, which in this case typically tends to be the lagbolts or J-hooks, the preformed wraps, or the bulldog clips. Theseattachment techniques also tend to be difficult to use in closequarters, such as when the trunks of a tree are closer together thanabout three feet or so.

Accordingly, it can be seen that a need yet remains in the art for adevice for attaching steel cable to trees and poles, which device isstrong, easily used in the field, compact, and with few parts. It is tothe provision of such a device at the present invention is primarilydirected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly described, a wire stop 1.1 for use with a multi-strand steelcable for securing trees and poles. The wire stop 1.1 includes an outerbody with a tapered opening extending therethrough. The wire stop 1.1also includes a tapered inner body with a central bore extendingtherethrough for receiving a single strand of the multi-strand steelcable therein. The tapered inner body is sized and configured to bereceived in and cooperate with the tapered opening in outer body. Withthis construction, the multi-strand steel cable can be partially unwoundand a single strand threaded through the central bore in the taperedinner body and the remaining strands can be threaded between the innerbody and the outer body. The single middle wire strand going through thecentral bore in the tapered inner body is then bent over to fix the wirestop 1.1 onto the multi-strand steel cable. The outer body is made of ametal that is softer than the metal of the inner body. This has twoimportant functions and is unique to the way multi-strand cables aresecured in the field or otherwise. The first is that the harder innerbody used with the softer outer body makes it easer for the inner bodyand surrounding wires to be fixed or locked into the softer outer body.Secondly, the outer body being softer accommodates itself to the shapeof the wires it is receiving in such a way as to have a firm hold onthem but also not crush or cut into them when high tension is on themulti-strand wire cable. This configuration results in the wire stop 1.1being able to be fixed easier than other such systems and yet hold moreweight.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a side, sectional view of a wire stop 1.1 showing the aluminumblock (A), the stainless steel taper (B), strands (C) of a multi-strandsteel cable (D) extending therethrough, and the single middle strand (E)of the multi-strand cable bent over to fix the wire stop 1.1 onto themulti-strand steel cable.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the wire stop 1.1 of FIG. 1, showing thealuminum block (A), the inner stainless steel taper (B), strands (C) ofa multi-strand steel cable extending therethrough, and the single middlestrand (E) of the multi-strand cable bent over to fix the wire stop 1.1onto the multi-strand steel cable.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the inner taper (B) of the wire stop 1.1 andthe hole (F) that accepts the single strand of the multi-strand steelcable.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the inner taper (B) of the wire stop1.1 and the hole (F) that accepts the single strand of the multi-strandsteel cable.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the outer block (A) with the inner bore (G).

FIG. 6 is side, sectional view of the aluminum block (A) of the wirestop 1.1 and the internal bore (G).

FIG. 7 is an end view of the wire stop 1.1 block (A) with the internalbore (G). Also shown are the accommodating groves that are formed whenpressure is applied to the multi-strand steel cable being held by thewire stop 1.1

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to thefollowing detailed description of the invention taken in connection withthe accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure.It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to thespecific metals, devices, methods, conditions or parameters describedand/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for thepurpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only andis not intended to be limiting of the claimed invention. Also, as usedin the specification including the appended claims, the singular forms“a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particularnumerical value includes at least that particular value, unless thecontext clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein asfrom “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about”or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range isexpressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular valueand/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values areexpressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it willbe understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.Moreover, while the invention is described in connection with the use ofmulti-strand steel cable, it will be recognized that the invention isnot limited to such use and that other types of cable, wire, and thelike can be used with the present invention.

With reference now to the drawing figures, a wire stop 1.1 includes anouter body (A) defining a tapered opening defined by tapered surfaceextending therethrough (G). Although the depicted embodiment has ahexagon shaped outer body FIG. 2-5-7, those skilled in the art willrecognize that other shapes can be employed, such as round, rectangular,etc. Indeed, these alternative shapes are within the scope of thepresent invention. The shape and the size of the outer body (A) maydepend on the intended use of the wire stop 1.1. In the embodimentillustrated in these figures, the outer body (A) is formed to be securedon the outer portion of the structure being rigged, such as for examplea pole or tree. Alternatively, the outer body (A) can be set partiallywithin a counter bore or otherwise inlet into the structure beingrigged. Preferably, the outer body (A), and the other parts of the wirestop 1.1, are made of a corrosion-resistant steel or other suitablematerial. The applicant has found aluminum to work well for the outerbody and stainless steel to work well for the inner body. While steelhas high strength, the softer aluminum provides a very good grip whileminimizing the tendency to cut or break the strands of the cable. It isalso possible to use brass or other combinations of materials for someor all of the wire stop 1.1. However, it is important for obtaining asecure initial hold and continuing to hold at the highest possiblepressures, that the inner body be made of a material harder than that ofthe outer body.

The wire stop 1.1 also includes a tapered inner body (B). The taperedinner body (B) is sized and configured to be received in and cooperatewith the tapered opening (G) in the outer body (A). In the depictedembodiments FIG. 1-2, the inner body (B) has a complementaryfrustoconical shape to be closely received within the opening (G) of theouter body (A). Alternatively, the cross-sectional shape of the innerbody (B) may be triangular, rectangular, or oblong variations of such,so long as the inner body (B) is shaped and/or sized to be substantiallyreceivable within the tapered opening of the outer body (A). The innerbody (B) includes a central bore (F) extending therethrough forreceiving the central strand (E) of the multi-strand steel cable (D)therein.

In using the wire stop 1.1 to attach a multi-strand steel cable to atree or pole, the multi-strand steel cable (D) can be partiallyunraveled and the individual strands can be threaded into the wire stop1.1. Preferably, the central strand (E) is threaded through the centralbore (F) in the tapered inner body (B), and the outer strands (C) areslipped between the inner body (B) and the outer body (A). The wire stop1.1 is then secured or fixed onto the multi-strand steel cable quicklyand easily by bending the single middle strand of the multi-strand steelcable over inner body (B). Upon the application of a tensile force onthe cable, the strands pull the inner body (B) into the outer body 102,whereby the cable is held fast in a static state by the wire stop 1.1.Preferably, the outer body (A) and the inner body (B) are fabricatedfrom high strength metals that are durable and resistant to corrosion.However, it is possible to incorporate other less durable materials forrigging procedures demanding less durability and corrosion resistance,so long as the material will maintain the tensile load applied upon itand the outer body is softer than the inner body.

While the invention has been described with reference to preferred andexemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat a variety of modifications, additions and deletions can be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, asdefined by the following claims.

1. The wire stop 1.1 for use with a multi-strand steel cable, the wirestop 1.1 comprising: an outer body with a tapered opening extendingtherethrough; a tapered inner body being sized and configured to bereceived in and cooperate with the tapered opening in the outer body;and wherein a multi-strand steel cable can be partially unraveled andthe individual strands of the steel cable can be threaded between theinner body and the outer body, and wherein upon the application oftensile force on the steel cable, the steel cable can be held fast bythe wire stop 1.1.
 2. The wire stop 1.1 as claimed in claim 1 whereinthe tapered inner body has a central bore extending therethrough forreceiving a strand of the multi-strand steel cable therein and wherein asingle strand of the steel cable can be threaded through the centralbore in the tapered inner body and the remaining strands can be threadedbetween the inner body and the outer body.
 3. The wire stop 1.1 asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the tapered inner body has a frustoconicalshape and the tapered opening in the outer body has a similar taper. 4.The wire stop 1.1 as claimed in claim 1 is quickly, easily, and securelyfixed to the multi-strand steel cable by bending the single middlestrand of the multi-strand steel cable over the internal tapered body.5. The wire stop 1.1 as claimed in claim 1 is uniquely made ofdissimilar metals so that the inner tapered body is harder than theouter body.
 6. The wire stop 1.1 as claimed in claim 1 is easier toinstall because of claim 4, and holds more weight because of its uniqueconfiguration, as seen in claim 6, than similar inventions such as Maras(U.S. Pat. No. 3,229,341), Youngblood (U.S. Pat. No. 3,475,795),Kucherry (U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,365), Ehert (U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,899),Marchand (U.S. Pat. No. 985,915), and Fiege (U.S. Pat. No. 201,686). 7.The wire stop 1.1 as claimed in claim 1 is able because of its uniqueconstruction in claim 5 to set easily and yet hold firmly in situationsof changing tension typically found in trees or power poles when thewind blows causing the cables to slacken or tighten.